And a patch for a Jansport Bookbag, AW Outtake
by the-glory-days
Summary: As talked about in Alphabet Weekends, this is the story of when Edward gets Bella a copy of Dracula for Christmas.


**Disclaimer****: **Everything and anything related to the _Twilight _saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is a work of fiction based on her writings. No harm is meant by it.

I originally posted this back in December 2009. Some of you may have already read it, when it was under Santa's Little Ficsters. It was only up for Christmas day, and like Santa, it was gone the next day.

This is _an_ outtake of my story, _Alphabet Weekends_. This is the story of when Edward gets Bella a copy of _Dracula_ for Christmas.

I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for being the most awesome readers ever. :) This isn't beta'd. Any and all mistakes are my own

~Jen

* * *

_"Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don't quite know how to put our love into words_"

~Harlan Miller

* * *

**And a patch for a Jansport Bookbag**

Christmas at the Cullen house was always an affair of epic proportions.

For the Cullens, the holidays began immediately on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

Edward and Emmett were woken up to the sounds of Bing Crosby crooning about a "White Christmas," and Dean Martin telling "Frosty the Snowman's" story.

By that Friday night, Carlisle and Esme already had lights hanging from every inch of the outside and wreaths on every door. There were even ropes of brightly colored garland and tinsel wrapped around all the staircase banisters.

Every twentieth of December, they bought a tall six-foot spruce and spent hours decorating it in the living room. Carlisle and Emmett were in charge of detangling the lights. Edward and Esme were the ones who actually decorated the tree, placing ornaments in particular locations. There were the standard glass balls, little miniature candy canes, and small frames with pictures of the family in them.

Christmas Eve dinner was always an elaborate and extravagant process with too many appetizers and a beautiful, succulent roast beef that was slowly roasted all day for the main course. All the Cullen men would follow the scent of the roast beef and occasionally step foot into the kitchen to ask Esme if she needed a "taste tester." Esme would always shoo them away with a giggle.

Unwrapping presents was always a sight to see. Edward and Emmett would tear through the wrapping paper as if their lives depended on it. Esme and Carlisle would watch with amusement and parental joy in their eyes. They loved seeing the looks of total delight that washed over their faces.

However, what Esme and Carlisle enjoyed more than that was playing pranks on their sons. The two boys were wily and on more than one occasion, Esme had caught them unwrapping and rewrapping presents before Christmas morning. Esme knew very well that it was all Emmett's doing. She knew that as the older sibling, Emmett, had enormous influence over Edward.

When Emmett was ten, she began hiding his gifts between sweaters and then wrapping that. It was always a sight to see. Emmett would pretend to like the jacket his mother bought him and then open it, only to have what he actually wanted to drop out of it. The look on his face was always priceless.

Occasionally, the in-laws would come over, but usually it was just the four of them, exchanging funny stories, witty insults, and gifts.

**=x=**

"Edward, honey," Esme called out. "Set another plate at the table, Bella's staying over."

Ten year old Edward ran into the kitchen with a smile plastered wide across his face. It was Christmas Eve, and he was already excited. What kid wouldn't be? Especially since he had a funny suspicion that he was getting a new computer. He hoped it was the Macintosh he had asked for, but to hear that he would be able to spend Christmas with his best friend was the icing on the cake.

"Really?" he enthusiastically asked. He grabbed another of his mother's Christmas china to take into the dining room. He set the plate on the place mat just as his mother had shown him and lined up the utensils on their respective sides.

"Yes," his mother answered. Edward now sat on a stool by the kitchen counter and watched his mother cutting up pieces of chocolate to use for icing for the cake she was making.

"Why?"

"Unfortunately, Charlie has to work tonight and tomorrow, and he called to see if Bella could stay here."

"Awesome!" Edward rejoiced. "When is she getting here?"

Esme chuckled to herself as she placed the bowl of chocolate on the stove to melt.

"You two are like peas in a pod; always together and never separated until someone separates you."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked. His eyes were wide in wonderment. Esme shook her head.

"Of course not, honey," she reassured him. She walked up to him, and Edward hugged her. "I think it's a beautiful thing, Sweetie. I'm happy you have a friend like Bella."

"Me too, but some of the guys in school make fun of me because she's my best friend. They don't think that a girl can be a boy's best friend."

Esme pulled away from Edward and looked down at her son. His lip was jutted out in a pout that broke her heart and made it soar; he was almost the spitting image of his father.

"You tell Eric Yorkie and Mike Newton to stop being so jealous. They wished they had a best friend as cool Bella."

Edward snorted and looked up bashfully at his mother.

"I don't think they're jealous," he sighed in frustration.

"Of course they are. They're each other's best friend, and you have Bella, who's beautiful, and the two of them like her."

Edward blushed as his mother stared down at him with a comforting smile on her face.

"Bella is really cool!" he praised. "She's awesome and likes all the same things as me."

Esme smiled down at Edward and watched as he furrowed his brow.

"Do you really think Eric and Mike like her? Like they _like_ her, like her?"

Esme had had to bite her lip to stop the smile that threatened to spread across her face. She watched a look pass before her son's face that she had been waiting to see for years. It was the slightest hint of jealousy. She wondered when she would see it.

"Do you care if they do?" She asked coyly so as not to upset him.

"No," he answered defensively. "No way. I don't like Bella like that, but those two knuckleheads aren't good enough for her. She needs someone cool; not one of those two jerks."

"Hey!" Esme scolded. "What have I told you about name calling?"

Edward hung his head. "Sorry, Mom."

"It's alright, Honey. So, who is good enough for Bella?" Esme asked. This time she was intentionally trying to get a specific answer.

"I don't know, Mom," Edward whined. "Someone awesome, I guess."

"I think you're pretty awesome," she complimented him. Edward shook his head.

"You're my mom, you're supposed to think that," he argued. "Besides, I told you already, I don't like Bella in that way."

Esme chuckled to herself once again and leaned down and kissed her son's forehead. _Not yet you don't_, she thought to herself.

"Go make sure your room is clean. Bella should be here soon."

"Aww come on, Mom. Bella doesn't care if my room is clean," he moaned in protest. Esme scooted him off the kitchen stool.

"She might not care, but I do. So skedaddle and get to it!"

Edward groaned in frustration and dragged his feet out of the kitchen, all the while muttering how unfair it was under his breath.

**=x=**

"Bella, are you almost ready?" Charlie called up the stairs. He adjusted his gun holster as he waited for his daughter to come down.

"Yep!" She shouted down a few moments later. She hopped down the stairs with her favorite blue backpack hanging from her shoulder.

Charlie took a moment took to look at his daughter. She was wearing a lovely, green dress and a pair of sneakers. It was surreal to see his daughter slowly making her way into womanhood.

"You look beautiful, Bells," he proudly complimented her. He watched the all too familiar shade of red stain her cheeks and chuckled.

"Jeeze, Dad. Thanks."

"Do you have everything you need in that thing?"

Bella nodded and adjusted the bag higher on her shoulder.

"All I need."

"Okay, and I'm sorry again, Bella. Harry got sick. There's nothing I can do," Charlie apologized for the umpteenth time since he received the phone call to come into the station.

"I know, Dad," Bella sympathetically said. "Stop worrying. I'm excited to hang out with Edward."

"Of course you are."

Charlie shook his head and helped Bella get into her coat.

"What's that supposed mean?" Bella asked, and Charlie groaned. His daughter was far too smart sometimes. She was always reading the meaning behind things. No wonder she always excelled in her English classes.

"It's just that in a few years, you may feel… differently about Edward."

Charlie was trying to steer clear of this entire conversation, but Bella was not having it. She was stubborn; a trait she acquired from her mother.

"Dad," she scoffed. "I don't like Edward like that, and he doesn't like me either. So can we please not talk about this again?"

"Fine, if you don't like Edward, then what boys do you like? Maybe Mike Newton?"

"Dad," Bella whined as she got into the police cruiser. "I don't want to talk about boys with you. No offense, but that's weird."

"Alright, we won't talk about boys," he replied and joined Bella in the car. "Do you have Edward's gift with you?"

"I've got everything, Dad."

"I swear you're eleven going on forty, Bells. Bella scowled at him. She hated it when her dad told her she acted like an adult. The kids at school always let her know that she didn't have enough fun.

"Relax, Bella. It just means that I think you're responsible."

Charlie drove slowly to the Cullens. Even though he had snow chains on his tires, the roads were slick from the snow that had fallen earlier. It took about twenty minutes longer, but he didn't mind that he would end up late to the station as long as his daughter arrived safely.

He noticed that the Cullen's driveway was entirely devoid of snow and was already covered in a layer of salt, but he still took precautions and helped Bella out of the car.

"Charles!" Esme greeted him warmly when she opened the door. Charlie ducked his head down and blushed. Esme was the only one in town that called him by his name. Everyone else just referred to him as Charlie.

"Merry Christmas, Esme," he timidly greeted. Bella snickered. The encounters between her dad and Esme were always entertaining. It was like watching the boys in school talk to the pretty, popular girls.

"Merry Christmas and a very Merry Christmas to you too, Bella."

"Merry Christmas, Esme," Bella cheerfully replied as she stepped inside and began taking off her coat.

"Thanks again, Esme. I really owe you."

"It's absolutely not a problem, Charles. You know we love Bella as if she were our own daughter. We wouldn't want her to spend Christmas alone."

Charlie smiled and look behind her. He saw Carlisle helping Bella out of her coat. She looked beautiful in her dress.

"Be safe out there, Charlie," Carlisle said as he walked up to shake his hand.

"Always."

Both Esme and Carlisle nodded at Charlie and smiled. Charlie poked his head in for a moment to speak to Bella.

"Be good, Bells!" He shouted. She jogged her way back toward the door.

"I always am, Dad. She kissed him on the cheek and headed away from the cold of the outside.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow night."

Charlie waved and headed back to the cruiser. Though it pained him to be unable to spend Christmas with Bella, he knew she would have a terrific time with the Cullens. The best thing that had ever happened to Charlie was the Cullens.

When Renee left, he was in such a state of disbelief that Bella spent days upon weeks with the Cullens. He couldn't bear for her to see him so upset. Selfishly, he couldn't look at her without seeing Renee.

As he pulled out of the driveway, from the windows of the Cullen's front door, he watched as Bella scurried up the stairs of the foyer toward Edward's room. While most fathers would be concerned that their daughter was hanging out with a boy, in his room no less, Charlie had that utmost respect and trust in Edward. He wouldn't mind, if in twenty years, Bella ended up with Edward. To be honest, he was hoping it would happen. He didn't think there would be another person out there as perfect for his little girl than Edward.

**=x=**

"Finish him!"

It was the words that Bella heard coming from Edward's room as she approached. She knew that sound from anywhere. Along with the sounds of agony and fists flying, there was the sound of Emmett arguing that Edward was cheating.

"I don't even know why you bother, Em. Edward is the master of Mortal Kombat," she cheerfully praised her best friend. She sat down beside him as he continued to mash the buttons of his Sega Genesis controller.

"Shut it, Belly. I can beat him. I know I can!" Emmett chanted. Both Bella and Edward snorted before laughing.

"Keep dreaming, Meathead. You're already done," Edward admonished as soon as the video gamer commentator announced "K-O."

"Crap!" Emmett shouted and threw the controller toward Bella.

"I don't wanna play. I know I'll lose."

"One day, Edward," Emmett warned as he got up to leave. "One day."

"Whatever you say, Em. Whatever you say." Edward's response was smug, and Emmett flipped him the bird.

"Merry Christmas, Bells," Edward said as he turned to look at his best friend.

"Back at ya, dude."

"I'm glad you're here. This Christmas is gonna rock so hard, now. My mom cooks so much food and the most awesome chocolate cake you have ever eaten."

"I can't wait!" Bella grinned and rubbed her belly, causing the two to laugh.

"But before all of that, look what I snuck upstairs." Bella looked around as Edward peeked out of his door before he shut it. She watched as he pulled two Ferro Rocher chocolate bon-bons out of his pocket.

"Woohoo!" Bella cheered. Edward he handed her one as soon as he took a seat beside her.

Though they knew sweets were strictly prohibited before dinner, the two lavished in the chocolaty sweetness. They separated the chocolate ball and ate it layer by delicious layer.

The two basked in the sugar and began to play Sonic the Hedgehog. Edward knew that it was the one game that Bella could actually win.

**=x=**

Dinner was as sensational as Edward had made it out to be. Bella couldn't believe how much she actually ate. She had had not one, but three pieces of what she could only classify as the most spectacular chocolate cake she had ever had the pleasure of tasting.

"Everything was so good, Esme," Bella praised her. She was helping Esme clean the dishes in the kitchen. Esme beamed brightly at her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it all, Sweetheart. I'll be sure to send some home with you tomorrow, especially some of the cake." She winked causing Bella to giggle.

"That would be awesome!"

"Hey wait a minute!" Emmett protested as he came into the kitchen carrying some of the dirty plates; Edward was right behind him carrying the rest and looking just as devastated.

"You're not giving her the rest of it, are you?"

"Relax Sweetie. There's still a lot of cake left." Esme calmed Emmett down before she returned to the sink.

"Just making sure." He shrugged nonchalantly, though Bella could see the look of relief that passed over his face.

"Do we get to open one gift now?" Edward asked his mother excitedly.

"Just let Bella and I finish cleaning the dishes and then you can open one gift."

"Awesome!" Both boys cheered, but Esme quickly simmered their fire.

"But you cannot open the biggest one, Edward. Pick something else."

Emmett and Bella laughed as the smile on Edward's face quickly turned into a frown.

"Aww, come on Mom!" he whined. "I know it's my new computer."

"That's fine and dandy, Edward, but you're father paid a lot of money for it, so wait until tomorrow. Okay? And you better act surprised."

"Fine," Edward conceded and went back into the dining room to help Emmett finish collecting the rest of the dirty dishes.

Twenty minutes later, everyone was around the Christmas tree waiting to open gifts.

"Bella, would you like to go first?" Carlisle asked, and Bella looked up at him in surprise.

"Me?"

"Yeah, there are a few gifts under the tree for you," Emmett remarked. He was under the tree trying to pick out which one of his gifts he wanted to open.

"Um…okay." Bella agreed and started to look under the tree. She found that there were three gifts under the tree for her. One was from Emmett; another one was from Carlisle and Esme, and the one she chose was from Edward.

"I'll open this one," she announced as she displayed the square present wrapped in shiny silver paper.

"That's my gift for you!" Edward smiled at her. "I hope you like it."

"I bet I will."

She slowly tore away at the wrapping paper before her eyes feasted on the gold lettering on the burgundy, leather bound book.

"It's a first edition." Edward remarked beside her, and Bella squealed. It was rare for Bella to accept gifts willingly, but she was thrilled.

"Thank you so much," she kept repeating as she hugged him. In her hands, was a first edition of Bram Stokers, _Dracula_. Ever since Edward and Bella had snuck in to see Interview with a Vampire the month before, she had become obsessed with vampires, and more so with Stoker's _Dracula_.

Everyone looked on as Bella's face was spread wide with a radiant smile.

"This is so awesome."

"I wrote something inside. My mom told me if you give someone a book, you should write something inside." Edward informed her quietly, and Bella flipped to the first page. In Edward's near perfect penmanship, she read:

_To the coolest best friend in the world, Bells, _

_I want you to do me a favor. Never stop being my best friend. You're the coolest kid I know. Oceans of love and millions of kisses-(Haha see I read the book. I said I would._

_- your best friend,_

_Edward A. Cullen, Esq. (SHUT UP!)_

"So, did you like it?" she turned to Edward and asked.

"Yeah, it was pretty good," he remarked before he began to open his own gift. It was a new video game. He thanked his parents, and watched as they all opened their own presents for the next few minutes before Esme announced it was time for bed.

"Off to bed, or Santa won't bring the rest of the gifts."

"Mom, really?" Emmett sassed. "We're a little too old to believe in Santa."

"I don't know why I got you what you wanted. All you do is argue with me," Esme boldly fired back, and Emmett gasped before composing himself.

"I'm a teenager, Mom. It's what we do."

"Off to bed, you. That goes for you two as well," Carlisle addressed Edward and Bella.

"We're going," Edward replied before he hugged his dad and kissed his mom. He thanked them again for the video game and headed to his bedroom.

"Thanks for letting me stay," Bella said. Carlisle smiled down at her, which caused Bella to flush. It was not an unknown fact that Bella had a crush on him.

"It was our pleasure, Bella," he told her. "And you looked lovely tonight."

Bella blushed even harder, and Esme giggled to herself.

"Goodnight Esme." She quickly waved and headed up the stairs to Edward's room. She waited at the top and listened in on Esme and Carlisle's conversation.

"Must you tease the girl like that? It's not very nice. You know she has a crush on you," Esme reprimanded him and gently swatted his arm. Carlisle chuckled and grabbed a hold of her hand and brought her closer to him. Bella's face flushed red when Esme told Carlisle she had a crush on him. She had thought that no one knew.

"I'm just having a little fun."

"Well, it's not funny when the person you like does that. I would know."

"You look beautiful, tonight," Carlisle tried to change the subject, and Esme shook her head.

"I see what you're doing, Carlisle Cullen, and I'll let it slide for tonight." She tiptoed and kissed him. Bella watched while Esme and Carlisle held each other as they looked out of the window. While she walked toward Edward's room, her room for the night as well, she thought to herself that one day she would like to have a relationship as resplendent as Esme and Carlisle's.

"What took you so long?" Edward asked when Bella walked into his room. He was already in his pajamas—a pair of flannel pants and a Ninja Turtles t-shirt.

"I was talking to your parents," she bashfully replied. Edward groaned loudly and grimaced.

"Just so you know, I find it really gross that you have a crush on my dad."

"Shut up!" Bella screeched and blushed all in the same breath. She grabbed her backpack and made her way toward the bathroom to change. When she came back, Edward was waiting for her on the bed she would be sleeping on with something in his hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't trying to make fun of you."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Whatcha got in your hand?"

In Edward's hand was a round, flat object wrapped in newspaper.

"I wanted to add this with the book, but I didn't find it until yesterday, and we had already run out of wrapping paper."

He handed Bella the present, and this time, she quickly did away with the wrapping.

"So cool!" She shrieked as she looked down at the patch. It was a black, rounded patch with a pair of vampire fangs on it and the drop of blood that dripped from the fangs, extended slightly out of the circle.

"Do you really like it?"

"It's awesome. It's gonna look so rad on my book bag."

"I'm glad you like it. Maybe now you'll get take off that stupid _Babysitter's Club_ one."

"Hey, don't make fun of the _BSC_. I don't make fun of your obsession with Bill Nye the Science Guy."

"That's 'cause Bill Nye is the man. That trick with the egg in the bottle is so awesome."

"You're such a nerd, Edward," Bella teased, and Edward shoved her gently.

"Whatever, Swan. I'm glad you like the patch."

"I love it. It's so cool. Where did you find it?"

"At the mall in Seattle. My mom didn't want to go inside the store. I think it was for Gothic people. Everyone who worked there had piercings and wore all black."

Bella chuckled and slipped the patch into the front pocket of the book bag.

"You know my Christmas gift for you is so lame compared to everything you got me," Bella frowned.

"I doubt it. What is it?" he goaded and Bella laughed.

"You'll find out tomorrow. Now get off my bed, Cullen!"

"Technically, it's my bed, Isabella, since it's in my room."

"Whatever! Just get off."

Edward stuck his tongue off and went to his bed.

"Can you two can it? I'm trying to sleep." Emmett shouted from his room next door. It caused Bella and Edward to laugh.

"Goodnight, Edward," Bella half-yawned as she slipped under the covers of the bed.

"Night, Bells. I'm glad you came over."

"Me too."

**=FIN=**


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